


Ready or Not

by city_bright



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-20 09:13:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3644826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/city_bright/pseuds/city_bright
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A slightly sweet and angsty one shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ready or Not

Sleep was nice. Sleep was easy, sleep was peaceful. There were no worries when you slept, and for a while, you were able to escape the harsh realities of life. Mindy woke up peacefully and happily, and for a few moments, life was good. She stretched lazily as she yawned and ran her hand over her swollen belly as a good morning to her unborn son. She then saw the empty bed beside her and remembered the disagreement with Danny, and life didn’t seem so great anymore. They haven't been talking much since the baby shower. They have been occupying the same space, being careful not to address the elephant in the room because they know that once they start talking about it, it’s not going to stop. Differing views on marriage won’t get fixed in one night, and they know it. Maybe they will never change, maybe they will, but Mindy and Danny aren’t ready to find out, not yet.

Mindy wondered how they got to this point. Maybe they were both so blinded by love that they chose not to see how different they really are or acknowledge this underlying tension that, looking back, has been there all along. And she didn't know what to do. None of the romantic comedies she had watched have prepared her for this moment or told her what to do next. It has always been relatively the same formula: date, find someone you love, get married, have kids, and then spend the rest of your lives together. Granted, her life hadn’t played out in that specific order, but that was how it was supposed to be. That was how she wanted it to be.

But here she was: having a child out of wedlock with her boyfriend. It did not follow the neat and organized plan in any way, but she adapted to her reality the best she could, and she even started to embrace it. But she had always kind of figured even if her life wasn't a perfect romantic comedy, even though it was messy, that she would get her happily ever after.

However, it looked like she won't be getting that either. Danny saying he didn’t want a marriage was a blow to her head, sweeping away all of her fairy tale happy endings she had imagined with him like they were dust and crushing her with doubt. She wondered if she could ever find that happy ending with him. She hoped she could, but she was worried that Alan and Christina have done so much emotional damage to him that it rendered him, and consequently, their relationship, beyond repair and beyond saving.

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, forcing the thoughts away. She didn’t have the emotional energy to think about this for too long, so early in the morning. Suddenly, the tinkling of piano notes floated delicately into their room. Wondering why or what Danny was playing, she furrowed her brow in concentration. It didn’t take too long to recognize the ballad, and soon, bits and pieces of the lyrics came to mind.

Mindy quietly opened the door and saw Danny hunched over the piano, trying to play the ballad at the right tempo while he whispered the lyrics to himself. It was actually kind of sweet to see him work diligently to make it sound perfect. She had always admired his patience, especially since she was so impatient herself. She would have banged on the keys and walked away with a huff, blaming the piano for not sounding right. She shuffled to the side of the piano, in front of Danny. He didn’t look up, but his slightly lowered head and straightened posture let her know he was aware of her presence. He started the song again, but instead of whispering the lyrics, he spoke them to her, letting the lyrics say what he couldn't.

 _This ain't a movie love_  
_No fairytale conclusion y'all_  
_It gets more confusing everyday_  
_Sometimes it's heaven sent_  
_Then we head back to hell again_  
_We kiss then we make up on the way_

 _I hang up, you call_  
_We rise and we fall_  
_And we feel like just walking away_  
_As our love advances we take second chances_  
_Though it's not a fantasy_  
_I still want you to stay_

His voice faltered, and he cleared his throat, ticking his head to the side in embarrassment. Maybe it was the inherent sweetness of this whole gesture, but it was comforting to know that Danny was just as uncertain about them as she was, that she wasn't the only one to feel scared and alone. Feeling alone and scared with someone was always better than feeling them alone. Her lips curled up to form a small smile, finding the song hopeful and kind of beautiful, like it gave her the light at the end of this dark tunnel and strength to endure it through the sheer force of will.

 _Maybe we'll live and learn_  
_Maybe we'll crash and burn_  
_Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave_  
_Maybe you'll return_  
_Maybe another fight_  
_Maybe we won't survive_  
_Maybe we'll grow_  
_We never know, baby, you and I_

Tears quietly streamed down Mindy’s face on their own accord as the weight and uncertainty of their relationship suddenly overcame her. Her heart ached as she took in Danny and his features: the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, the slight downward pull of his quivering lips, his warm, sad eyes, his curly, haphazard hair, the stubble accentuating his jaw. She loved this man so much, but she wondered if that was enough.

 _We're just ordinary people_  
_We don't know which way to go_  
_Cause we're ordinary people_  
_Maybe we should take it slow_

_This time we’ll take it slow_

The words hung thick in the air as they looked at each other, eyes conveying a plethora of emotions, from hope to sadness to fear to love. But behind it all, there was a mutual look of understanding that they will get through this, regardless of where they’ll end up. Maybe this wasn't the end for them, but maybe it was. Mindy took a deep breath. It was time to find out.

**Author's Note:**

> I recently rediscovered Ordinary People by John Legend, and I thought it was so fitting to Mindy and Danny, and I had to write something inspired/influenced by the song. This is what came out of it, and I guess the story is like a wishful thinking type of scenario. 
> 
> Anyway, I am not sure where this fits in the TMP universe timeline. Maybe before Danny goes to India, maybe when he comes back, maybe in some canon divergent, alternate universe, I don't know. I hope it's...decent lol
> 
> A huge thank you to allmylovesatonce for the extra pair of eyes, reading this over for me :D I own nothing.


End file.
